I have spent the better part of the last five years treating flat irons like an airborne virus.

Don’t get me wrong, I am not in the "air-drying only” camp. I diffuse my curls regularly, and when I do indulge in heat styling, I defer almost exclusively to my Dyson Airwrap — the curly and coily version, of course. But standard, sizzling, ceramic clamping straighteners? Absolutely not.

Ever since I committed to nursing my curl pattern back from the brink of oblivion, traditional flat irons have remained permanently banned from my bathroom vanity. Then the algorithm stepped in. After seeing Wavytalk’s Steam Sesh ($79 on Amazon) on what felt like every third video on my feed, I finally caved.

Here’s how a 10-minute session went down, and why I might be in my straight-hair era.

The promise of steam styling is what lured me in. Unlike traditional flat irons that pan-fry your hair bone-dry, steam infuses moisture directly into the cuticle, reducing heat damage, boosting shine, and holding frizz at bay.

It’s also a nostalgic full-circle moment. At fourteen, I had a curling tong with a plastic water cap you pumped down for bursts of lukewarm steam. Seeing that category modernized feels grounded in an industry obsessed with over-engineering every tool to death.

Out of the box, you get a surprisingly generous starter kit: a heat-resistant glove, a scrunchie, two sectioning clips, a detachable comb, and a dropper for the water reservoir. Wavytalk insists on distilled water to avoid mineral buildup.

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